Thursday, April 30, 2015

Former PCC President Mark Rocha Loses $403,000 Severance Package as Judge Nullifies Deal

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joanne O’Donnell Wednesday nullified the $403,000 severance package paid out to former Pasadena City College President Mark Rocha after finding PCC trustees violated the state’s Brown Act opening meeting laws in their deliberations and negotiations with Rocha.

Rocha left PCC last August after tumultuous tenureship at the college.

The lawsuit to invalidate the payout was mounted by Californians Aware, a nonprofit.

Californians Aware, a non-profit organization, originally filed the suit against the board in September.

Kelly Aviles, Californians Aware’s legal representative in this case, told the PCC Courier that she was pleased by the outcome of the case.

“We can only make sure that PCC follows the right process,” Aviles said. “Far too often are these decisions made without properly disclosing what the closed session items are. That is usually because the organization wants to do this without anyone knowing.”

“The Board is aware of the Court’s ruling and is considering next steps,” board president Berlinda Brown said in an email to the Courier.

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Southern California Edison Will Conduct Helicopter Operations in Altadena Neighborhood Next Tuesday

Southern California Edison (SCE) will use a helicopter to help in replacing 2 deteriorated wooden poles behind a residence in the 800 block of La Vina Lane on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

SCE said a low-flying helicopter is required to remove the current wood poles and install new poles due to the “restricted access” of the poles. Actual helicopter flight time is under 15 minutes per pole, the company said.

17 homes are inside the operational area which will be evacuated during external load operations. SCE says it submitted a Congested Air Space flight plan to the FAA.

The company said in a press release “at no time will our helicopter over fly any residence with a load attached.”

SCE said portions of La Vina Lane, Canyon Ridge Drive, and Canyon Crest Road will be closed to members of the non-participating public during external load lift operations.

Both the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department will be notified 2 days prior to the work,

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

The Altadena Library and the Altadena Senior Center Collaborate on Volunteer Secret Summer Santas

The Altadena Library and the Altadena Senior Center are collaborating on a community service project and community-wide read during Older Americans Month in May. The purpose is celebrate, as well as raise awareness about, the needs of local senior citizens.

Our community service involves organizing volunteers to create customized care packages for local, homebound senior citizens. Community members may also volunteer to be a reading buddy to these older Americans.

Each volunteer will receive a wish list from a senior citizen that outlines his or her preferences. Volunteers may gather or buy items for a custom care package based on this list (kind of like a volunteer Secret Santa, but in the summer time!).

Volunteers drop off packages at the main Altadena Library. In turn, Meals on Wheels volunteers will deliver these packages to participating older Americans by the end of May.

Interested? Sign up at the main Altadena Library Reference Desk by May 8, 2015. Altadena Library Reference Desk, 600 E Mariposa St,

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Altadena Heritage asks: Know of a big, beautiful tree that adds to Altadena’s character?

Do you know of a big, beautiful tree that adds to Altadena’s character? You have until May 16 to nominate it for our first ever Altadena Heritage Big Tree Contest! Tree owners (who must consent) will be fêted at the Golden Poppy Garden Awards and Celebration Sunday, May 31st. Get your nominations in! Self-nominations are fine.

Here is the form you can use:  Tree Nomination Form

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Eliot Arts Magnet is Ready for an Exciting Thursday Grand Re-Opening

Eliot Arts Magnet is ready to reveal exciting changes to the community during its Grand Re-Opening on Thursday, April 30 at 5:00 P.M. This event will celebrate the school’s transformation in becoming an arts magnet with the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly-refurbished, state-of-the-art auditorium and the naming of the student art gallery after renowned local artist Charles White.

The new state-of-the-art auditorium will be named after Carl Roeder, an industrial arts teacher who taught at Eliot for most of his 41 years with PUSD and never missed a day of work. Following the ribbon-cutting, guests are encouraged to stay for Metamorphosis, the annual spring open house and arts showcase featuring student performances and tours of the new arts facilities from 6:00 p.m.

 

For more, see these related stories:

Eliot Arts Magnet School to Host Grand Reopening Eliot Arts Magnet grand re-opening April 30Read More »

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Altadena Sheriff’s Station Crime Blotter for the Week of April 19, 2015

Sunday, April 19th

5:30 PM – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the area of Loma Alta Dr. & Lake Av.  Loss: black leather wallet, driver’s license, social security card, blank checks, currency.

8:43 PM – A strong armed robbery occurred in the area of Fair Oaks Av. & Woodbury Rd.  The suspect used force to take items the victim had just purchased from a local liquor store.  The victim was not injured.  Loss: beer, candy, soda.   Detectives are actively working to identify and arrest the suspect.

 

Monday, April 20th

6:02 PM – Derek Clabber was arrested in the 2200 block of N. Lake Av. for shoplifting, and subsequently battering a peace officer and resisting arrest.

 

Tuesday, April 21st

12:01 AM – Todd Mewaldt was cited for drinking in public in the 1800 block of E. Washington Blvd.

 

Wednesday, April 22nd

6:00 AM – A juvenile was arrested for burglary after the service of a search warrant in the 2100 block of Raymond Av. 

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Altadena Point Archives Now Online on Altadena Now

We are happy to announce that on Thursday, with Timothy Rutt’s blessing, Altadena Now will release the complete archives of Rutt’s Altadena Point hosted on our servers for long-time preservation after Rutt shuts down his original site.

Rutt has not announced the exact date that www.AltadenaPoint.com will no longer be available.

The site’s contents are also being archived by the Altadena Historical Society.

We will also archive Rutt’s first online publication, Altadena Blog. That work will be released in May.

The Altadena Now-hosted, archival version of Altadena Point is available online at: www.altadena-now.com/altadenapoint

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Have You Seen Gracie?

“One of our dogs escaped by digging out from under the gate (near Marengo and Altadena Drive). Her name is Gracie and she is a small (around 20 pounds) black and white dog. She can be very fearful. A distinctive feature is she has a small divot along the side of one of her very prominent ears. We love her very much and miss her. Please call us if you see her. She is microchipped.”   Amanda: 323-401-8210, Pete: 323-717-7308, Joan: 323-365-3255.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

L.A. County Firefighters Arrive in Nepal to Rescue Earthquake Victims

 

The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s California Task Force 2—known internationally as USA-2—Medium Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team arrived in Nepal on Tuesday to assist with rescue and recovery efforts following Saturday’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

The 57-member team departed March Air Reserve Base on Sunday night.

The USAR team is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) that was deployed upon the request of Nepal’s government. The DART comprises nearly 130 people, including 14 USAID disaster experts, the Department’s 57-person USAR team and a 57-person USAR team from Fairfax, Virginia. The team also includes 12 canines—six from L.A. County.

The team is made up of specialized personnel, and includes all necessary equipment to make live rescues from collapsed structures and confined spaces. The U.S. is currently prioritizing search and rescue activities to help locate survivors trapped in the rubble and the provision of emergency shelter materials to help displaced families.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Pasadena Education Network to Award Inaugural Rodney E. Goodwin Scholarship to Muir Student

The Pasadena Education Network (PEN) is pleased to announce that in May 2015, the inaugural Rodney E. Goodwin Memorial Scholarship will be awarded. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to one John Muir High School boy who will enroll in a 4-year college in the fall 2015, is the first in his family to go to college, and demonstrates both need and academic success in high school. Scholarship applications are available at www.penfamilies.org and are due no later than May 8, 2015.

Rodney E. Goodwin passed away on March 12, 2014. A resident of Altadena since 1987, Goodwin was known for his generous nature and loving spirit. Professionally, he was the Chief Financial Officer for the Operating Engineers Trust Funds/IUOE Local 12 in Pasadena.

Goodwin was raised in the rural South, and because of the guidance he received while growing up, he was the first in his family to go to college. He was a proud graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone,

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